BAPM advises on entering nurse staffing data

In this section

BAPM has written to networks advising only those nurses rostered to be working wholly clinical for that shift should be documented on Badgernet. This was following concerns raised with BAPM about this issue.

The letter can be seen below in full:

RE: Nurse Staffing

In my role as BAPM Nurse Representative some concerns have been raised with me about exactly how the daily Nurse Staffing on Badgernet should be completed. In particular there seems to be some confusion around which nurses should be include in the numbers.

The National Quality Board Edition 1, June 2018 Safe, sustainable and productive staffing, an improvement resource for neonatal care, stated:

Recording of available staff
Numbers of nurses who provide the hands-on clinical care on neonatal units must be recorded separately from numbers of support workforce who may assist them, such as ward clerks and healthcare assistants. Many units, especially larger NICUs, use the latter in a supportive, purely non hands-on way, and they can significantly increase the productivity of the ward. However, only those nurses with responsibility for providing direct clinical care should be reported against the recommended staffing standards on a shift-by-shift basis. This method should be reflected for nurses undergoing preceptorship/mentorship, such as when newly qualified or in QIS practical placement training, as well as student nurses or midwives at any level of their training. These nurses should not be counted in the shift establishments and must be regarded as supernumerary.

BAPM is very clear than only those nurses rostered to be working wholly clinical for that shift should be documented on Badgernet. Student nurses and those nurses either fulfilling an education role or undergoing a supernumerary period should not be included in the numbers that you input.

I hope this information is helpful and that when our data are audited by NNAP they reflect an accurate picture of nurse staffing in our neonatal units. One of the main intended purposes of this national audit is to help those neonatal units who have nurse staffing problems to be highlighted, and for support to be offered to them.